Not only is it ideal as a low carb pasta replacement, but it is also perfect as a side dish to many mains. Zucchini makes for delicious and healthy snacks and is a great ingredient in breakfast muffins and even pizza bases.

Here, you will find easy keto zucchini recipes for noodles, after all it does seem to be the preferred alternative pasta for ketoers. You will find stunning finger food and snacks, side dishes, decadent casseroles and soups, divine breakfast recipes, bread and pizza and some keto vegetarian recipe options.

Also don't miss our tips on how to best prepare your zucchini so that it isn't watery and the best ways to cut your zoodles.

Zoodles - Healthy Ketogenic Pasta

Zucchini noodles... zoodles or whatever you like to call them has to be our starting point.

Now I know these aren't truly pasta and it you are a diehard Italian foodie, then maybe you are insulted by us calling these pasta. Sorry 🙂 But if you are missing a good plate of comfort food, then at least try them...

When you use noodles as your main ingredient, your net carb count is always going to be a little higher than a mostly fat and protein dish. Many of these average at around 7 grams of net carbs per portion, so it is still pretty reasonable.

Here are some of my favorite zucchini noodle recipes:

Chicken Peanut Pad Thai

If you enjoy Thai food, you will love this Thai zucchini noodle recipe by Vicky and Rami from TasteAholics.com.

I like this recipe because it brings a whole new dimension to my keto cooking. I love the tartness of the lime combined with the intense flavor of the soy sauce. If you miss Thai food, then give it a go...

If you enjoyed it and like Vicky and Rami's recipes, then check out their Spiralizer Skinny cookbook by clicking on the picture of the recipe book.

In this book you will discover what, why and exactly how to spiralize your vegetables.

There are some awesome soup and salad recipes in this book. Followed by main dishes like the one above and Shrimp Squash Alfredo, Parmesan-crusted Cod with Broccoli Noodles, Bacon Cheddar Zucchini Fritters and Lasagna Rosettes.

Recipes for side dishes include Zoodles Caprese and Jicama Shoestring Fries.

Creamy Keto Shrimp Spaghetti

I love this recipe, because it is a one skillet recipe. If you have been following my blog for a while you know, that I am a somewhat lazy cook.

This shrimp zucchini spaghetti is rich and filling. Who knew healthy food could taste this good?

Tips to Make Spiralized Zucchini

The most important thing to remember when you cook zoodles is to be sure that they are dry, so that you don't end up with a watery pasta sauce. Try these tips to make sure your pasta is dry...

​Wash and pat your zucchini dry before spiralizing them.

Once cut, again pat them dry to reduce excess moisture.

If you don't use a spiralizer to make them, be sure to exclude the seeds from your noodles, as they will make your whole dish mushy.

Make a sauce for your pasta with a lot of substance, but little moisture.

When dishing up your noodles use a pasta tong to let the zoodles drip dry.

Cook the noodles in a separate skillet and dry in a colander and then throw the sauce on top.

Watch Ali from Inspired.com show us how she prevents a watery pasta sauce...

If you enjoyed watching Ali, then you may also like her cookbook - Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals.

In the book she helps you to get going with spiralizing veggies and then she shares recipes for breakfast, snacks, sides, soups, stews, salads, wraps, casseroles and desserts.

The book is immensely popular on Amazon. To check it out, click on the picture of her recipe book... ​

Roasted Pepper Zucchini Noodles

I added this recipe, because it is one of the most beautiful ketogenic dishes and keto food often doesn't look great.

The net carbs here may be slightly higher than the others, but you should still be able to fit it into your daily allowance.

To make this recipe vegan, replace the goats' cheese with half a block of tofu and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast.

For many more interesting ideas about how to change this recipe, check out the comments on the original recipe page. I always find it interesting how other cooks interpret and improve on an already delicious recipe.

Check out the recipe and source for the photo here, where you can enjoy many more of Kari's delicious recipes and follow her on her travels.

15 Minute Zoodles

I love the flavors in this vegetarian zoodle pasta dish.

For protein, you have poached eggs and Parmesan cheese.

Then it is packed with flavor with cherry and sundried tomatoes, basil pesto, garlic, lemon, red pepper flakes and finished off with chopped Kalamata olives.

If you have a KitchenAid Mixer, you can get a peel, core and slice attachment to make zoodles. This is the most expensive option, but useful if you want to make huge quantities and want to add to your existing kitchen equipment rather than buying another kitchen gadget..

The zoodles are similar to those made with the spiralizer.

Watch food and travel blogger Lisa from DownShiftOlogy show us how she makes zucchini noodles using these 5 methods...

Once you have tried spiralized zucchini, you never have to say no to a pasta comfort meal again. Most pasta classics can be made into low carb gluten free versions of themselves. So enjoy...

... but amazing zucchini meals aren't limited to zoodles. Next we are going to enjoy some super delicious bread and pizza recipes...

2

Bread and Pizza the Low Carb Way

When you adopt a ketogenic diet, pasta, pizza and bread no longer form a staple of your diet. These changes can be tough, but thanks to all the low carb options this does not have to be a hardship.

To use zucchini as a base for pizzas and bread makes for a nice change from the fall-back position of using cauliflower for these recipes.

Here are some of my favorite keto friendly pizza and sandwich recipes:

Low Carb Soft Tacos

I love how much flavor these low carb soft tacos have and all the variations you can try to make the perfect taco.

The original recipe is made with oat flour. I replaced the oat flour, as per the suggestion in the recipe with more almond flour. Psyllium husk also works well.

Kim from Low Carb Maven says that these keep well in the fridge and that they can even be frozen. She says that she freezes them with a piece of wax paper between each taco. She reheats the tacos in the microwave or in a pan.

Fritters with Avocado Crema

These fritters are delicious. Make them bite size and they are great for a snack or make them a little bigger and serve them as a side dish with any meat.

These are beautifully crisp and best served immediately.

I also enjoy them with sour cream, the way Kari says her mother used to serve them.

These are great vegetarian snacks and if you make them with the avocado crema, they are also dairy free.

Check out Kari's zucchini fritter﻿ recipe. I love her recipes in general, but especially her zucchini recipes. You may have also tried her roasted pepper zucchini noodles that I shared above.

Crispy Parmesan Fries

Who doesn't love fries? And even more so when they are low carb...

These keto friendly crispy Parmesan zucchini fries are delicious and made with only 5 ingredients.

Enjoy them and let us know what you think in the comments below...

Check out the recipe and source for the photo here at WholesomeYum.com where all the recipes that Maya share has 10 ingredients or less.

Zucchini Nachos

Yummy 🙂

Food like this makes me happy. 🙂

This recipe is dairy free, but if you do eat dairy, you can replace the dairy free cheese with normal cheese and if you like sour cream with your nachos add that too.

Leanne likes to get the maximum nutritional benefit out of each meal. If you want to do the same, you can add MCT oil into your guacamole. For more about MCT oil, check out which is our favorite MCT oil and why.

She also adds protein collagen peptides which supports weight management, strong and healthy nails and hair and healthy skin.

Keto Friendly Side Dishes

The most popular side vegetable with keto meals is probably cauliflower. However, you don't have to be limited to cauliflower. Courgette or zucchini is the perfect side for many meat, chicken or fish dishes. They are generally well-priced and easy to grow.

As you have already seen with our finger food ideas that can all serve as sides, there are plenty of options.

For some more delicious options, carry on reading...

Low Carb Courgette Bake

Missing potatoes as a side dish, then you have to try this recipe!

Courgettes can not be potatoes, but try them you may enjoy them more than you think.

I like this cheesy low carb courgette bake, because it is rich and filling and the best alternative to potato au gratin I have found so far.

Bolognese Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Turkey Mushroom Stroganoff

This recipe is interesting for a few reasons. The first is that it gives us a dairy free and gluten free stroganoff. For many of us a stroganoff is probably a favorite staple recipe.

Another is that Carrie adds a leek with her zucchini and squash when she makes her zoodles. It is not something I have tried before, but it does give the dish a smoothness and moistness. It probably gives it more of that creamy taste that we like in a stroganoff.

If you are missing any of your favorite dishes, then try these alternatives. You may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Please let us know in the comments how you liked these recipes or share your own recipes and ideas with us.

6

Salads and Soups - Yin and Yang

Whether you are looking for a light and summary salad idea or a way to substitute potato, zucchini is the perfect low carb replacement.

Since I started on a ketogenic diet, I missed my soups. I used to make lots of soups, but they often had a potato, noodle or butternut base. So it took a mental shift for me to move from my delicious rich soups to healthy low carb soups.

Here are some of my favorite zucchini salad and soup ideas...

Summary Caprese Salad

This is the perfect summary salad. It is made with zucchini ribbons. You can have them slightly roasted or raw.

To that you add mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, peppers, basil and a dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Fauxtato Salad

Most of us use cauliflower for a faux potato salad, but zucchini also works well. With this recipe, the zucchini is gently grilled to cook the outer ring of the vegetable.

You can grill your vegetables outside on the barbecue, but Elizabeth grills them on an indoor kitchen grill.

This salad is great with a barbecue or a side dish for any main. I always like them best the day after they were made as the flavors develop over time. Add some egg and or bacon bits and you have a delicious portable lunch to take to work.

For this and many more delicious low carb recipes click here to check out Up Late Anyway.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken soup conjures up feelings of love and appreciation. If anybody has ever made you chicken soup when you are sick, you know what I am talking about...

If you like to eat chicken soup when you are sick or like to make it for a loved one, then add this low carb version to your arsenal of ketogenic recipes.

Want to see how these are made and never to worry about dry muffins again?

Then watch Megha make these zucchini muffins pizza style...

8

Decadent Desserts and Cookies

Zucchini lends moisture to baked goods. So, if you ever feel that your baked goods are too dry when you use nut and coconut flours, why not experiment with zucchini to see if it can resolve your problem?

Even though you want moisture from them, still be sure to squeeze out any extra moisture as you don't want soggy desserts.

Experiment and enjoy these yummy zucchini dessert recipes...

Zucchini Bread

I love banana bread and even though zucchini bread is not exactly banana bread, it is probably the closest I will be getting to a low carb version of banana bread.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

The filling is made from cream cheese, butter, whipping cream, sweetener and vanilla.

The chocolate whoopie pie recipe is from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food and published on SheKnows. Carolyn uses a whoopie pie pan to make these, but suggest that if you don't have one, you a muffin pan and cut them in half or put the filling on top.

Flourless Keto Cookies

The main ingredients in these cookies are zucchini, almond butter, egg, sweetener, hemp seeds and the spicy goodness of cinnamon and nutmeg.

These are great to make in summer when most of us have so much zucchini that it is hard to use up.

They are also great as healthy Christmas cookies and little gifts. Just look how beautifully Alison packed them in the little tin here.

So there you have it, many recipes to enjoy your abundant harvest of zucchini.

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